Head Coach Gavin Ross is keeping his fingers crossed for major upticks in interest and recruitment over the next year or two that could herald an era of sustained success for the girls on St. Ed’s varsity swimming team.
“For the first time in a while we’ve actually won combined (boys & girls) meets,” Ross mentioned. “That has served to motivate the kids and create some great team spirit. Now we are preparing them for districts and trying to get as many as possible to regionals.”
This year the girls upheld their end of the bargain by posting four wins after a 1-9 mark in 2013. Maggie Barry and Morgan Benson are the only seniors on a roster of 12, Benson being a part-timer on loan from cross-country. Six more are either freshman or still in middle school.
“My girls team captain is Valerie Burke and she’s a very talented swimmer,” Ross said. “With her showing the way, we are getting close to relay times that we saw a few years back. The girls are capable of finishing in the top five at districts. We’re looking for them to move on and perhaps make the top ten at regionals.”
Burke, Barry, Rachel Blakeman, Mary C. Stiles, Veronica Burkarth and Sandy Altaras ignite the Pirates 200 free and 200 medley relay teams. Additionally, Barry (50 and 100 free), Burke (100 breast and 200 free), Burkarth (100 fly), Stiles (200 medley and 100 free), and Altaras (100 back) accounted for numerous wins as individuals.
Ross expressed satisfaction with that lineup as he looked forward to the district tournament next week – while simultaneously pondering the effort needed to keep the program moving forward.
“The girls are a lot better than last year in terms of quality, so I’m excited about that. We have promising youngsters in middle school with Burke and Blakeman coming back next year as seniors. The mix is good for the future. I’m optimistic that we are heading into the best period for girls swimming in several years. Right now we just need more girls to make a stronger commitment to swimming.”
Ross says decisions by up-and-comers like seventh graders Kylie Oakes and Olivia Lazorik could very well be key to his master plan.
“Oakes and Lazorik are year-round tennis players. They are not fully committed to the swimming program, but they are young and enthusiastic. They come to morning practice and are diligent about that. If we can keep that going by the time they reach high school, anything can happen. You never know.”
Today’s female athletes are more likely to gravitate to soccer, lacrosse and volleyball – sports that are surging in popularity at schools and clubs. St. Ed’s offers a club program for swimmers to train and compete beyond the fall varsity season. The best swimmers currently on the boys varsity roster also train with the club team. The same can’t be said for the girls.
“I just don’t want anybody to have any regrets,” Ross says. “So I encourage everybody to try swimming, if not this year maybe next year. I tell my female physical education students that they might really enjoy the swim team along with playing other sports. I have no varsity girls right now swimming all year round.
“It’s going to be an endless battle. I try to convince them to swim six months, or nine months. Over the last four years I’ve had 70 to 80 girls come through for short periods of time. Then they tend to drift away to other sports. It’s just been incredibly frustrating.”
Youth will be the trump card Ross needs. “Girls peak a little earlier than boys if they work in a club program. Right now I’ve got a lot of third to fifth graders on the club team, and in a few years they could form the core of the varsity. I’m building from the bottom up.”
Junior Valerie Burke will be the nucleus for whatever develops around her next year, but she isn’t thinking that far ahead.
“I’ve been swimming here for three years now and I really enjoy it. This team is the strongest that it has been in a while, especially for the girls. We’ve been working on our medley relay, trying hard to get to regionals. Individually I would like to take my 200 free to regionals. I would like to go under 2:20, but I’m not sure that will happen.”
Although swimming was not her top sports priority this fall, Morgan Benson nailed the message Ross wants the younger masses to hear.
“I just swim mainly freestyle and participate in some relays when they need me. I really love swimming and practice when I can. I just wish I had started earlier. I swam casually in middle school and liked it, but other sports (soccer and lacrosse) conflicted. This is the first time I’m actually on a team.
“It’s also nice to be in a cool pool in the Florida heat.”
